Buffer-beam.



c. T. WESTLAKE.

BUFFER BEAM. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2, 1911.

Patentefi Fem, 1912.

M/ITNESSES AWE/v70} CHflRLLS 7'. MESTL /K: y W11)? UNITED STATES PATENT onrion.

CHARLES '1. WES'ILAKE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOB'TO DAVIS LOCOMOTIVE WHEEL COMPANY. A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

BUFFER-BEAM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1912.

Application filed September 2, 1911. Serial No. 64 7,371.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHAnLns T. Wns'r- LAKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Buffer-Beams, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved buffer beam. Fig. 2 is a front elevational view. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 33 Fig. 2.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in buffer beams, or pilot beams, as they are sometimes called, for locomotives, the object being to provide a beam on its front face with a block whereby the draw bar pocket can be located at any desired elevation from the rail so as to provide a rigid permanent support therefor.

I-Ieretofore, the manner of attaching draw bars to cast bufier beams, has been to form the pocket, which receives the draw bar, with a base flange, which extends rearwardly over the top of the beam, and is secured directly to the beam. As heavier and more powerful locomotives are being built, they have increased the height of the beam from the rail, and in order to maintain the standard height of draw bar from the rail, a separate block has been used, which block is interposed between the draw bar pocket and the beam. This construction, however, is not very substantial, as the parts are constantly getting loose, permitting the draw bars to drop and get out of proper position. By casting a wall in advance of the front face of the beam, and extending it below the horizontal plane of the bottom wall the draw bar pocket can be located at any desired point by drilling the openings in this wall for the reception of the attaching bolts at the desired places, and in this manner, the construction of buffer beams, which have become standard on some roads, may be preserved.

In the drawings: 1 indicates the buffer beam proper, and 2 is a draw bar pocket attaching wall located in advance of the front wall of the buffer beam, and preferably extending below the lower edge of said buffer beam. If desired, this attaching wall may be of greater width than the front face of the beam, so as to give a larger range for the location of the bolt hole. The upper end of this wall is connected to the front wall of the beam by means of a web 3 and a reinforcing web 4:, preferably arranged at the center of the supporting wall 2, said web extending under the bolster, as shown in Fig. 3, to act as a brace for the front wall. By this construction, the space behind the front wall 2 is open at the bottom, so that a wrench or other instrument can be inserted for operating upon the heads of the attaching bolts, by means of which the draw bar pocket, shown in dottel lines in the Fig. 3, is attached in position. By increasing the width of the attaching wall 2, a greater range of adjustment of the draw bar pocket is secured.

What I claim is- 1. A buffer beam having a wall formed integral therewith for attachment of a draw bar pocket, said wall being in advance of the front wall of the buffer beam, and connected thereto by means of reinforcing webs which webs are so disposed as to provide free open spaces between the sides and lower portion of the wall and the front face of the buffer beam.

2. A buifer beam having an integral wall in advance of its front wall, said advance wall extending below the front wall of the buffer beam and having reinforcing webs connected to the front and bottom walls of the buffer beam.

3. A buffer beam having a wall spaced from its front wall and connected to said front wall by vertically and horizontally disposed webs, said spaced wall being of greater width thanthe front wall of the buffer beam.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 7th day of August, 1911.

CHARLES T. WESTLAKE.

Witnesses:

HAL C. BELLVILLE, E. G. YoUNeBLooD.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

